Bill promotes telemedicine across state lines
A bill introduced in the House of Representatives would allow Medicare providers using telehealth technologies to treat Medicare patients without the need to obtain multiple state licenses.
The TELEmedicine for MEDicare Act (H.R. 3077) is co-sponsored by Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.).
"This bill updates the law to account for rapid technological advances in medicine," Rep. Nunes said in a statement. "By reducing bureaucratic and legal barriers between Medicare patients and their doctors, it expands medical access and choice for America's seniors and the disabled."
Health IT Now Coalition praised the representatives for their work on the bill.
"Currently, the benefits of telemedicine are limited by an antiquated system of licensure laws that hinders the practice of medicine across state lines," Health IT Now Coalition Executive Director Joel White said in a statement.
"Congress has already had success in implementing a national telemedicine framework for members of the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration. This Nunes-Pallone bill does the same thing for Medicare beneficiaries, the number of whom is expected to rise to 81 million by 2030. The Health IT Now Coalition hopes Congress will work together to enact the TELE-MED Act into law so that seniors, the disabled, and taxpayers can all benefit from better healthcare at lower costs,” White added.